Mr. Girard de Codemberg.

Former student of the Polytechnic School, member of several scientific societies, author of a book entitled: Le Monde spirituel, ou science chrétienne de communiquer intimement avec les puissances célestes et les âmes heureuses. n Deceased in November 1858. Evoked at the Society on January 14 following.

Evocation.

Answer. – Here I am. What do you want?

Do you come willingly at our call?

Answer. – Yes.

Could you tell us what you now think of the book you published?

Answer. – I made some errors, but there are good things in it, and I am led to believe that you yourselves would agree with what I said there, without any fear of flattering myself.

You say mainly that you had communications with the mother of Christ. Do you now see whether it was really she?

Answer. – No; it was not she, but a Spirit who took her name.

With what aim did that Spirit take her name?

Answer. – He saw me following the path of error and took advantage of it to compromise me still further. He was a disturbing Spirit, a frivolous being, more prone to evil than to good. He felt happy at seeing my false joy. I was his plaything, as you yourselves are often the playthings of your fellows.

Endowed with superior intelligence, how did you not perceive the ridiculousness of certain communications?

Answer. – I was fascinated and judged good everything that was told to me.

Do you not judge that this work may do harm, in the sense of lending itself to ridicule regarding communications from beyond the grave?

Answer. – In that sense, yes. But I also said that there are good and true things which, from another point of view, impress the eyes of the masses. Even in what seems bad to us, we often find a good seed.

Are you happier now than when you were living?

Answer. – Yes, but I have great need to enlighten myself, because I still find myself in the fog that follows death. I am like the schoolboy who begins to spell out his letters.

When alive did you know The Spirits' Book?

Answer. – I had never paid attention to it. I had preconceived ideas; in this I sinned, for we will never study and delve deeply enough into all things. But pride is always at work, creating illusions for us. Moreover, this is quite characteristic of the ignorant: they want to study only what they prefer and lend an ear only to those who flatter them.

But you were not an ignorant man; do your titles not prove it?

Answer. – What is the learned man of Earth before the science of Heaven? Besides, is there not always the influence of certain Spirits, interested in turning us away from the light?

Remark. – This corroborates what has already been said: certain Spirits inspire the turning away from persons who could give useful advice and thwart their machinations. That influence will never be that of a good Spirit.

And now, what do you think of the book?

Answer. – I could not say without praising. Now, we do not praise, as you well know.

Has your opinion on the nature of future punishments changed?

Answer. – Yes. I believed in material punishments; now I believe in moral punishments.

Can we do something that would be agreeable to you?

Answer. – Always. Let each of you, this night, say a prayer on my behalf. I will be grateful; do not forget it.

Remark. – Mr. de Codemberg's book caused a certain sensation and, we must add, a painful sensation among the enlightened partisans of Spiritism, on account of the extravagance of certain communications that lend themselves greatly to ridicule. His intention was praiseworthy, for he was a sincere man. He is an example of the dominion that certain Spirits can exercise, flattering and exaggerating the ideas and prejudices of those who do not weigh with much severity the pros and cons of Spiritist communications. It shows us, above all, the danger of spreading them too lightly among the public, since they can become a cause of repulsion, strengthening certain persons in incredulity and thus doing more harm than good, since they furnish weapons to the enemies of the cause. We could never be cautious enough in this regard. [v. another evocation of Girard de Codemberg.] [1] The Spiritual World, or Christian science of communicating intimately with the celestial powers and with the happy souls. [Le Monde spirituel, ou science chrétienne de communiquer intimement avec les puissances célestes et les âmes heureuses — Google Books.]